The Republican party cannot be blamed for not planning for the current "fiscal cliff" situation. They did, in fact, have a sound strategy for handling it: have Mr. Mitt Romney elected President and have their party regain control of the Senate, which would then have allowed them to completely reverse all of the elements of the "cliff" that they found undesirable (such as the expiration of tax cuts for income brackets above $250,000 and cuts to defense spending) while retaining the elements that they found acceptable (such as expiration of tax cuts to income brackets below $250,000 and cuts to any social services). The voters of the United States then sabotaged this plan on November 6 by re-electing President Barack Obama and by allowing the Democrats to retain control of the Senate.

When Representative John Boehner stated that he received 98% of what their party wanted from the 2011 "debt ceiling" negotiations, it was predicated upon the assumption that President Obama would lose his re-election bid. As such, the fault of this current situation actually falls upon President Obama for having the poor judgment to be re-elected.

For many months this has been the inevitable endgame following the ridiculous, self-inflicted wound the GOP orchestrated during the completely fabricated debt limit fight. They started a fight over literally nothing, they misled their supporters about what the debt limit even is, they got our credit rating downgraded and damaged the economy. And now, after getting taken to the cleaners during the last election, they are going to get kicked in the balls. We've known for a long time exactly how this is going to play out, but the GOP is so fractured and aimless that they couldn't do anything to stop it.

The reporters are reporting a report that the Republicans' most recent deal involves a four-year Taxbongo jail sentence. That's a compromise if I ever saw one. Take a compromise for once in your life, liberals. This country is Taxed Enough Already, Please Admit Republicans Told You.

Tonight's ticket has Mitch "the Turtle" McConnell trying to put a hard shell of protection up against the man that knows how to hold'em, Harry "the Gambler" Reid!

Two old wheezers in $3000 suits having a run at each other, that would be a hoot.

Uh oh, the old guy is sneering. But the even-older guy responds with a scornful glare. OMG, a wave of the hand, as if in dismissal of an underling. The liver spots glisten in the klieg lights. This is too brutal, I can't watch any more.

The Why Not Guy:beer4breakfast: It's a farking disgrace that this is now how US federal budget negotiations work. The sequestration that was put in place to try to force both parties to work together didn't even even do that, since we're yet again at the same last minute hand wringing BS we had last time. And again, the best that can be hoped for is a last minute agreement that simply kicks the can down the road. What a farking joke for what these politicians say is, "the greatest country on Earth". Yet those same politicians, even after they agree to put triggers in place to force action on their part, still can't do it. Feh, absolutely disgraceful.

Take a look at why that is. There's a big chunk of America that doesn't see working with the other side as a good thing. They see it as weakness, and they reward it with primary challenges.

Speaking of, I think I'll have some tea.

You're wrong. They don't see it as weakness. They see it as siding with the Lord of Darkness.

The Old Man and the Turtle?I am thought to be "salao", the worst form of unlucky. It's been 84 days without a deal. I may not be as strong as I think, but I know many tricks and I have resolution. Let him think that I am more man than I am and I will be so. Most people were heartless about turtles because a turtle's heart will beat for hours after it has been cut up and butchered. But I have such a heart too. Turtle, I love you and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.

This story has actually been helpful to me. Anytime I see someone saying "both sides are to blame here", that tells me I'm not dealing with an intelligent or reasonable person, and I have no need to listen to them about anything else of consequence.

RoxtarRyan:As a taxpayer, I have to ask, why are these assholes getting paid? They continuously fail to make a budget. If I had a job responsibility that included "making sure out finances are in order and ensuring we can pay the bills", and I fail to do so repeatedly, I'd be fired.

Some of these people HAVE been fired. They just haven't been escorted out of the building yet.

So all the defense cuts go into place, all of the Bush tax cuts evaporate and all the GOP gets in return is an opportunity to vote against reinstating the tax cuts for 98% of Americans if it means unemployed people get to eat and our credit rating isn't destroyed?

Did the GOP subcontract out the hiring of their chief negotiators to a mental institution or something?

Seriously, wasn't it something they voted for? Something they helped create? Now they act like "OMG ITZ THE END OF THE USA WE'RE ALL GUNNA DIE BECAUSE OF OUR BROWN PRESIDENT!!!"

Christ... I'm bout ready to say fark it, let the sequester happen. They signed off on it how long ago, had how long to come up with a goddamn budget, and they still don't have one? Farking really? As a taxpayer, I have to ask, why are these assholes getting paid? They continuously fail to make a budget. If I had a job responsibility that included "making sure out finances are in order and ensuring we can pay the bills", and I fail to do so repeatedly, I'd be fired. Who the fark keeps going to the voting booth and saying "sure, let's keep these asshats in office and pay them six figure incomes so they can continue to not do their job"?